STUDENTS from Tameside College are celebrating after taking first place in the Greater Manchester Skills Competitions with a striking piece of artwork now on public display.
The Aspirations students, working alongside local artist Simon Mound, created the eye-catching “unity tulip” as part of the Ashton Tulip Trail.
The project combined creativity, teamwork and research, with students exploring local heritage at Tameside Archives and Local Studies.
Their winning sculpture can now be seen outside Tameside One throughout the summer, alongside other artworks created by community groups from across the borough.
The installation forms part of the wider Tulips of Ashton trail, which has transformed Ashton-under-Lyne into a colourful outdoor gallery.
Launched on March 14, the trail features nine oversized six-foot tulip sculptures placed around the town centre and surrounding areas, each uniquely designed by local artists working with schools, families and community organisations. The trail will run until June 7.
Inspired by Ashton’s historic links to tulip trading and the long-standing Tulip Sunday tradition at Stamford Park, the project offers a modern celebration of local culture.
Visitors can follow a free, family-friendly route through the town, taking in locations including Portland Basin, Ashton Old Baths, Ashton Library and St Michael’s Square.
The trail also includes an interactive element, with a letter-hunt challenge encouraging visitors to collect clues from each sculpture and solve a mystery word.
Organisers say the initiative has been designed to bring together art, history and community spirit, while offering a free activity for families during the Easter and early summer holidays.
The students’ success marks a standout moment within the trail, highlighting the talent of young people in Tameside and their contribution to the town’s growing cultural scene.